Disclaimer: This is a general citation for reference purposes. Please consult the most recent edition of your style manual for the proper formatting of the type of source you are citing. If the date given in the citation does not match the date on the digital item, use the more accurate date below the digital item.

Disclaimer: This is a general citation for reference purposes. Please consult the most recent edition of your style manual for the proper formatting of the type of source you are citing. If the date given in the citation does not match the date on the digital item, use the more accurate date below the digital item.

Disclaimer: This is a general citation for reference purposes. Please consult the most recent edition of your style manual for the proper formatting of the type of source you are citing. If the date given in the citation does not match the date on the digital item, use the more accurate date below the digital item.

First letter not transcribed.
[1]
Willis July 30th [no year]
My Dear Son
I have intended to
drop you a line every day since
my return home, but each day
would bring some trifle to be
attended to. And so the day would
pass and the pleasant duty be
unaccomplished - I wished to
tell you that I found every-
-thing safe upon my return
The place looked like I had
only been absent a day - even
my little stock of green peaches
and chickens were all here
By the way my Peaches are be-
-ginning to ripen - Yesterday &
today we had quite a nice rain
which will improve them greatly
and cause them to ripen fast
I intend to make some pickles
--------------------------------------------
of them and will dry some and if it does
not continue to rain I can peel
and dry some to make preserves
of when the weather is cooler
Do not know yet whether I will
be able to can any, will do so if
I can get the cans here on reason
-able terms. I cook them every
Day -
Tell Mrs Ashe that I am
glad I went down to see you
all. I look back upon the
time well, and pleasantly
spent; I enjoyed the change
very much, beside seeing
many things of interest to
me at the Pomological &c &c
Augst 1st I have been hindered
by company and a sick neigh-
bor from finishing my letter
until today - We had another
rain today, which with the
----------------------------------------
two we have already had, will do
much good to crops, besides lay-
-ing the dust which was intoler
-able - I have nice ripe Peaches
every day - Willie has been
with me for the last two days
her health is very poore [sic], she
looks badly, and complains all
the time - I keep perfectly well
How do you get on with the
sketch of your father you were writing of your
I forgot to tell you that I had
subscribed for a copy of Thralls
History of Texas. In case you
have subscribed for it I will
decline taking it as one copy
will answer for us both. The
agent will deliver them this
fall sometime - I told him I would
take a copy provided you had
not already subscribed for
one
-----------------------------------------------
I get the Papers regularly and eager
ly look for Yellow fever items
I earnestly hope it may not get
into Texas -
With much love from
Your Mother
Mary Jones
[2]
Willis
August 21st [no year]
My Dear Son
I have inten
-ded for several days past to
write to you, or Sam - heard
yesterday that he intended
going out in the direction
of Trinity to what point
my informant [sic] did not
know, & that he would be in
Willis some time this present
Week - Tell him Mrs. Angle
has quite a job of work for
him and is needing it done
at the earliest time possible
so she informed me yester
-day - Mrs. Huling also &
some others have enquired
when he would be here
so if he can come up he may
make it a profitable trip
----------------------------------
I cannot lay my hands upon
your last letter, nor can
I call to mind whether anything
in it required any special notice
except that you asked whether
the files of old papers &c had
been gnawed by mice or Roaches
By mice while we lived
at Head Quarters
I am very
well but so nervous I can
scarcely write at all
Sallies
health is very poore [sic] - Gas
has been down to the Bay
brought up two horses - Saw
all pretty of our old neigh
-bors - I will write you
some other time -
Oh With regard to planting
a fall garden here - is it
worth while to do so?
----------------------------------------
I will have an abundant crop
of white lady Peas I judge
from the prospect they will
be fit to gather late in Oct
perhaps by the middle of October
With much love
as ever Your Mother
Mary Jones
-----------------------------------------
I was told by Sallie that Mr.
Mercer said that all the
corn I would have could
he believed be sold out
there at a dollar pr. bushel
I will make further enqui-
ries about it
[3]
August 23rd [no year]
Dear Son
Yours of 22nd received last
Evening - And I write today [to] ask you
to bring me up an other bottle of
Indian Physic; I find it a good med
-icine for me, and am out.
Gaston did
not bring the things Sallie
wrote for. Please bring them
and in addition bring three
papers of early marrowfat Peas
and if you can conveniently
bring a pack of Irish potatoes
for for Mrs. Jordan
Could you
look me up a pair of Slippers
rather thicker ones than those
I bought there last spring
wide in the bottom no 4
or 4 & a half
--------------------------------------------
both Sallie & myself are a
little complaining tho neither
of us are sick Will be
glad to see you - Mr.
Stockings p o is Cold Springs
I learn
Affectionately your
Mother Mary Jones.
The $10. dollars come safely
[4]
Monday Morning
Dear Son
Elliot is quite unwell
with boils on his face. And also
with his bowels, he does not
digest anything he eats, his dis-
charges are white & thin. I have
mentioned this to so you can
get a prescription for him
from Doct. Hudspeth Tell
him I would like something
to purify his blood. Ask him
if the medicine he prescribed
for Saml. would not do answer
a good purpose. I have the same
bottle with the prescription
3105 Feb 29. Come round this
evening Affectionately
M Jones
--------------------------------------
Elliot has had no fever as yet
but is fretful, bring me a
few envelopes & ink I have
pens & some paper. All are
well at home Sam has sold
his Boat
[5]
Willis
August 23rd [no year]
My Dear Son
Yesterday I received
your favor of the 20th Inst.
Friday I received notice of a
Registered letter being in
the office for me - I went down
and got it, and hasten to let
you know the money it con-
tained $25.00 dollars come safe
-ly for which you have my
kindest thanks. Not that
I was in immediate need of
it, as I still had a few dol.
I had just written you a short
note which I suppose reached
you Friday - I would have
written about that time to Sam
but from what he told Mr. Angle
of an intention to go our into the
Country last week and then
-----------------------------------------
come here, this week some
time to do some work for Mrs
Angle As he has not come
yet I shall look for him
tomorrow. There are others
who want work done
I have been
trying to keep up with
the Quarantine muddle
what a blessing, in absence
of a political campaign to
have something to keep up
an excitement over, but no
matter if their correspondence
should become as voluminous as any
Gen. Hunts did in settling
the boundary line question
long years ago - I would even
be willing to read it all, and
not as the Texas Congress said
of Hunts correspondence
feel that it was as “unrea
--------------------------------------
sonable punishment inflic
-ted upon me” Provided
their quar[an]tine keeps out
of out state that terrible
scourge Yellow fever
I am trying
some new ink today don’t
like it much as it flows
too freely for my nervious [sic]
hands I spent the day
yesterday with Sallie
she is confined half her
time or more to her bed
With much love
from Your Mother
Mary Jones
How I have enjoyed the cool
change for some time past
I never saw it so cool in
August before
[6]
Willis
Friday May 7th [no date]
Dear Son
Yours of the 14th last
just received and regret
to say that my dear little
Elliot has been quite sick
since Monday night last
was better yesterday & last
night bur fever came
on again today at about
9 Oclock, has fever at
this time. Doct Wooldri-
dge is treating the case
I do not think him dan
gerously ill, yet he is
quite sick. Cold and
a severe cough the cause
I will not be able to leave
him and of course will
not be down unless
he should improve
--------------------------------
very rapidly. I might
possibly come down the
middly of next week
will however let you
know
Affectionately
Your Mother
Mary Jones
All the balance of the
family are well
----------------------------------
[Written on the verso of the 2nd leaf]
I suppose I have sold
our stock to Mr West
of Baytown He wrote
me that he would take
them at $7. dol. pr head
[7]
[no place, no date]
[in another’s hand]:
Dear Crom
Please send me from Milly & Porter’s
a Barrel Flour and a Gal whis he sent me some that
was very good @ 2.50 pr gal. get the same
[continuing in Mary Jones’s hand]:
as Gaston
commenced writing - for Flour & Lard
I wish it bought on my account I
believe I had an understanding with
you to that effect when I was down
but my accounts show no balance
in your hands not placed at inter
-est - be that as it may send the
articles if you have the chink
to spare - I remember of telling
you that after awhile I would
want you to send me a barrel of
Flour & Keg of lard & intended
it to come out of Sams money - out
of the $175 but woman like [me?] cannot
call to mind now whether there was
any money left with you for that
purpose I have not time to refer to
my account - as rendered
I am very well
Gas wants to know if
Sam Ashe is coming up?
Affectionately
Mary Jones
----------------------------------------------
[written on the verso]
I am making my
calculations to
get out of this
woods some time
in May say the
middle
To go out
West
[8]
Wednesday Augst 2nd [no year]
Dear Son
Your welcome letter of the 30th Ult,
reached me yesterday was so glad to hear from
all our dear ones at home. And only write a
few lines to say we will leave tomorow [sic]
morning for home - I am feeling very
much better today - My stomach is now free
from soreness from which cause I have
suffered considerably since I came over
here - I am trying to persuade Sallie
to stay an other week I think a week
more without this troublesome baby
to look after would do her more
good than the past two weeks - don’t
know yet whether she will agree to
stay as she feels so worried about
Willies not having a servant, and young
Company - I will have her here if
I can tell Kate to get some corn meal
and make me a good sized kettle of mush
for my supper & to get me a quart of
-----------------------------------------------------
sweet milk - please give her fifty cts
to pay for the meal unless she can
get it at Mr Gordans - I find that
I have to be very careful about what I
Eat - Tell our old Hackman to look
out for us ( I can[‘t] remember his name)
sometimes the Train is delayed, as was the
case last summer when I returned and
could not get a hack until I sent over
for one - Glad Sam returned safely
My love to yourself & all as if
named
Affectionately Your
Mother
Mary Jones
[9]
[no place, no date]
Dear Son
I hope what I have stated will
answer the purpose. I have to write
by candle light and it is rather diffi
cult for do me to see. The articles
you sent me came all safe and I enjoyed
the change very much the fruit par-
ticularly - I am now feeling very well
but am admonished to be careful all
the time as I feel that least expos
-ure to cold - I am so thankful
you have effected a sale and agree
most heartedly with you in trying to
live on the interest however little
it may be to begin with after the sales
I may select a pleasant spell of weather &
go down to see you. From what Saml
tells me of his business he is making
some money. He left the Burg owing
Mr. Overland a hundred dollars for board
which he seems anxious to pay I in haste
Your Mother
Mary Jones